Ments



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

R. THURY.

MAGNETO OR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 5,1886.

IVENTOR BY (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

R. THURY.

MAGNETO OR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINE.

No. 333,902. Patented Jan. 5, 1886.

AT 0mm N. PETERS. PhoOo-Lilhogra'phen Wash'mglon. D. c,

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RENE THURY, OF GENEVA, SlVITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO A. DE MEURON & GUENOD, OF SAME PLACE, AND GEORGE H. BENJAMIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MAGNETO OR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,902, dated January 5, 1886.

Application filed December 10, 1883. Serial No. 114,038.

(No model.) Patented in France October 11, 1883,No.158,007; in Italy October 23, 1883, No. 16,034; in Germany November 6, 1883, No. 29,836; in Belgium November 23, 1883, No. 63,315; in England December 8, 1888, No. 5,682; in Russia January 11, 1884, No. 7,005; in Canada January 17, 1884, No. 18,563; in Austria-Hungary March 4, 1884, No. 44,108 and No. 10,003, and in Spain June 13, 1884, No. 3,802.

' of the Republic of Switzerland, residing in Geneva, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dynamo- Electric Machines, (for which Ihave obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 5,682, December 8, 1883; Spain, No. 3,892, June 13, 1884; Canada, No. 18,563, January 17, 1884; Italy No. 16,034, October 23, 1883; Austria Hungary, No. 44,198 and No. 10,003, March 4, 1884:; Belgium No. 63,315, November 23, 1883; France, No. 158,007, October 11, 1883; Germany, No. 29,836, November 6, 1883, and

Russia, No. 7,005, January 11, 1884,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to remedy the numerous defects which are met in the use of dynamo-electric machines generating a continuous current, and intended for the production of electric light, transmission of motive power,or applied to electro-metallurgy. The defect common to all machines of this class is the great speed of rotation required, which causes wear upon the parts exposed to friction, frequent accidents, and the loss of consideia ble power. A second defect is the little energy which is obtained from a machine which might produce much more if it were possible to increase its peripheral speed. The increase of that speed would give a greater production and more useful effect. A third very grave defect in machines of large size is the production of sparks at the contact-points of the brushes with the commutator. Moreover, all of these machines are generally delicate. If a brush happens to be displaced or to be worn out, the current may be completely interrupted.

The difficulties which are experienced in the construction of practical machines are the following: The construction of induction-armatures of large size with a slow speed necessitates powerful inductors, the usual dispositions of which have all the great inconvenvencies of employing only a part of the effective magnetic field. The sparks on the collector proceed from the interruption of a portion of the principal circuit at the moment when the brushes leave each commutator-section. They can only be avoided by using a great number of broad brushes. Hence it is very desirable to arrive at a division of the armature into a certain number of parts each of which will develop a certain part of the current. In that manner a maehine,however powertuhwould always be composed of a certain number of smaller machines. The machine is thereby rendered less delicate, the contact of a brush may cease without interruption of the current, and the machine continue to act until the contacts are re-established. The sparks which are produced at the brushes depend also on the relative resistance of each section of the armature. The greater the resistance the stronger are the sparks for the same current. This resistance is, likewise, the cause why the machine becomes hot, and the electro-motive force experiences variations when a current more or less intense is used with a constant speed of the generator.

My invention consists of a new system of distribution of the electric conductors (wires) uponthe armature of a dynamo-electric machine, and relates especially to the reduction of the resistance in the armature by diminishing as much as possible the amount of wire forming a part of the helices arranged thereon which is out of the magnetic field, and which is not or but little influenced, and also to the method and means employed to collect the current induced in the armature-helices.

My invention also relates to a new method of arranging the magnets, permanent or iuduced, which, with their field-pieces, form the magnetic field within which the armature revolves.

In the accompanying drawings, which represent my invention, similar letters of reference indicate like parts, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dynamo electric machine constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is an-end view of the same, showing the arrangement of the fieldmagnets, and also the method by which the contact-brushes are joined together. Fig. 3 isa transverse section taken through the line :0

. m of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is avertical section. Fig.

' permanent or electro magnet. The like poles of the neighboring separate magnets'are j oined together and fixed to pole-pieces alternately north and south, lodged within the spaces extending between the internal angles of the polygon and theincluded drum. In that man ner my inductor assumes externally the shape of a great polygon, while the inside has a cylindrical shape fitting very nearly that of the armature. I fix this polygonal inductor, as well as the bearing for the armature, upon a frame of cast-iron, taking care to insulate magnetically the former from it.

In the drawings, A A are the permanent or electro magnets, to which it is preferable to give a rectangular shape, but which may also be round, or have any form whatever.

P P are the polepieces, made in such a manner as to envelop or surround nearly three-quarters of the surface of the drum, and disposed so as to fill the interior angles of the magnetic polygon.

The number of magnets used to form 'my polygonal inductor I prefer to have equal to the denominator of that fraction of the circumference of the armature adopted for the winding or size of the rectangular helices arranged thereon. In other words, if in the scheme adopted for the division of the armature the chord formed by an endvwire of one rectangular helix, in passing over the end of the armature-drum, is in length equal to onesixth of the circumference of the drum, then the number of magnets used would be six. If one-eighth. eight magnets would be required.

In principle my armature consists of a drum, magnetic or not, fixed on an axis of rotation, and upon which are disposed a number of rectangular helices formed from consecutive windings of a single continuous wire and connected electrically to each other. In winding the helices the wires which form the sides of the rectangles are placed longitudinally upon the surface of the armaturc-dru m, parallel to each other and to the axis, and the wires which form the ends of the rectangular helices are carried across opposite ends of the drum, through chords of the circumference of the drum, each of which divides the latter in four, six, or any even number of parts, in

stead of turning backward and passing inside, as in the Gramme ring, or turning round the axis torejoin the conductor diametrically opposite, as in the Heffner-Alteneck coil.

T is the movable drum upon which the wire forming my armature is arranged. This drum is fixed upon an axis, and is composed of metal disks K, Fig. 4, bearing upon their circumference an insulating-cylinder, I, upon which is wound a magnetic mass, M, preferably of iron wire. Upon this mass, intended for the strengthening of the lines of force of the magnetic field, are wound the armature-helices in the manner shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

As before stated, the sides of the rectangular helices are wound parallel to the axis of rotation, and on the surface of the drum.

In Fig. 5 are shown the wires 1 2 3 4, placed parallel to each other. I

In the machine shown in the drawings the armature is supposed to be divided'into six parts, and each of the wires which form the ends of the rectangular helices passes over the ends of the drum through a chord equal to the radius-namely, the sixth part of the circumference. In Fig. 6 the double heavy line a a represents such a chord in length equal to one-sixth of the circumference. Three pairs of such heavy lines are shown arranged equally distant from each other. By measurement it will be found that the sum of the length of these lines will be equal to one-half the circumference of the drum, and the sum of the spaces included between the ends of said lines will also be equal to one-half the circumference. Thus the circumference divided by the length of any one of the lines or of an intervening space will give a number showing that each line or space represents one-sixth of the circumference.

I have indicated the separate helices in the diagram in a different manner, so as to show plainly that the wire forming each helix gives the same length of chord in passing over the end of the drum. The wire forming the helices is a single endless. one. The wire 1, for instance, is connected with the wire6 in such a manner that the end of 1, forms the beginning of 6. The wire 3 is connected in the same way with 8, and so on up to the last, whichin its turn is connected with the beginning of the first. V

In Figs. 3 and 4 the wires are shown to form nine rectangular helices, which are so dis- IIO posed on the armature-drum that the ends of g end wires of the nine helices, in passing overthe ends of the drum, are each equal to the radius, the sum of their lengths is one-half time greater than the circumference.

Let us follow the wire 4, setting out in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 5. It follows the exterior surface of the drum and reaches one of its extremities. which it crosses and forms the chord a, equal to the radius in the present instance, and returns to the other end of the drum by the wire 1, parallel to the wire I and to the axis, and thence, as the connecting-wire a, it goes to the wire 6, and through the chord b to wire 3, through connectingwire I) to the wire 8, and so on over the whole exterior surface of the drum. The circuits thus formed, 4 a 1 a or 6 b 3 b, may also be doubled or multiplied at will, as shown in Fig. 5, forming the rectangles a 1 a 4. a l a, or 6713(1611811.

In Fig. 6 the method of electrically connecting the helices together is illustrated by the dotted lines. All the helices, as before stated, are formed from consecutive windings of a single continuous wire, the ends being joined to form a closed circuit, and hence when the machine is in operation a current will be circulating in all of the wires of the armature, and there will be no idle helix, although certain helices,when in a neutral position of the field-magnets, will not be contributing to the electro-motive force of the system. There will, however, be no break in the circuit, either as regards the circuit as a whole or as regards any individual portion of the armature-circuit. The induced currents in the armature can be commutated in series or in multiple, as preferred. In the present case, where an even number of poles is used in the inductor, an odd number of sections to the commutatoris required. In the drawings, Figs. 3 and 5, it will be seen that three sides of three separate rectangular helices are under each pole.

To determine the number of commutatorsections required, it is only necessary to multiply the number of sides of the separate rectangles arranged under each pole by the num ber of poles composing the inductor. In the present case the number of poles used is six, and hence there would be eighteen sides,which divided by the numeral 2, as there are two acting sides of each rectangle,giv es nine-the number of commutator sections required. WVith four or eight poles in the inductor an even number of sections would be required. Thus an even or odd number of commutator-sections may be used with an even number of poles. The helices are connected together in such a manner as to form what may be called nine double helices, each one of which is composed of two simple helices, and each simple helix forms a right-hand helix in one double helix, at the same time forming a left-hand helix oi another double helix arranged contiguous thereto, and such double helices are each connected to one section of the commutator G by a suitable wire, Z, proceeding from the connecting-wires a b 0. By this method of connection a double helix is never out of use, as at such times when the wires forming one side of a simple helix occupy a neutral position between the poles of the field-magnets the other side of the same simple helix also occupies a neutral position, and so will not be contributing to the electromotive force of the system. Thus, as regards external coil or line, a simple helix will, by reason of a brush lapping or bridgingsuc ceeding commutator-sections arranged opposite thereto, and to which the ends of the simple helix are connected, .be short-circuited, or a very little current circulating therein as it passes neutral points in the magnetic field; but the other simple helix in such a double helix will be in that position where it develops the maximum electromotive force, so that the total electro-motive force of a double helix will not materially vary, and will be constant and uniform. D D are the collecting-brushes, each of which is divided into two or more parts, for convenience of adjustment, and arranged to rest upon the com mutator-seetions at one end of the machine. The brushes are supported by the adjustable brush-bearers D D, arranged upon a wheel or star, F, and so arranged as to be movably adj ustable around a tubular bearing fixed upon the pedestal. The number of brushes employed corresponds with the number of magnets used in the inductor, and also to the scheme of division of the armature. Thus if a scheme of division of the armature in six or eight parts be adopted the six or eight brushes corresponding to these divisions united three or four together enable me to produce a machine of great power composed of several weak machines. Every pair of brushes has to transmit but a third or fourth part of the whole current, and the production of sparks is reduced in the same proportion.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, six brushes are shown arranged equidistant from each other, alternately positive and negative in their circular order. Those of the positive series are electrically connected together by means of an arcshaped plate, F, arranged on the outer side of the arms of the star F, and those of the negative series by a similar plate, F, upon the inner side of the arms of the star. Each of these plates is connected to all of the arms of the star over or under which it passes; but each plate is insulated from those arms which support brushes other than those which it is designed to electrically connect.

The method of arranging the brushes in the star F enables me to vary the angle of all the brushes when they are wedged up, and so change the direction of the current by turning the whole system of brushes, (in the present case one-sixth of a revolution.) This is advantageous for the preservation of the brushes, as the positive always wear out sooner than the negative.

B B represent the cast-iron frame carrying the pedestal and bearings, as well as the polygonal fieldof force magnets, the latter fixed and supported by means of frame E, made of any non-magnetic material.

Each of the armature-helices may be composed of any number of convolutions of wire. In the drawings only two are represented. The wires uniting the helices with the sections of the commutator series can be arranged as 5 indicated by the dotted lines at Z in Fig. 3.

I claim as my invention- 1. A dynamo electric machine provided 7/ with an armature consisting of a drum upon which are disposed helices formed from a con- IO tinuous wire and wound in consecutive order around the surface of the drum, the end of one helix forming the beginning of the next, and having their sides parallel to each other and to the axes of rotation, and whose ends pass over the ends of the drum as chords, dividing it into any equal number of parts.

2. A dynamo -electrio machine provided with an induction-armature consisting of a drum upon which is wound, at right angles to the axis, a mass of iron wire or other mag-v netic material, upon which is disposed a number of rectangular helices formed from consecutive windings of a continuous wire whose sides are parallel, and whose ends pass over the ends of the drum as chords of the circumference of the drum, dividing the latter into any even number of parts.

3. In a dynamo-electric machine, an armature consisting of a drum upon the surface of which are arranged rectangular helices formed from consecutive windings of a continuous wire whose sides are parallel,and whose ends pass over the ends of the drum as chords of its circumference, each helix united to two succeeding commutator segments through long chords crossing one end of the drum,'substantially as described.

4. In a dynamo-electric machine, an armature upon which are disposed rectangular heli- 49 ces formed from consecutive windings of a continuous wire, the said helices divided into sets of two and united through along chord on the end ofthe armature to form a double helix, and in which each single helix forms one-half of a double helix next preceding or succeeding it, and to which it is similarly connected, and each of said double helices connected to one segment of the commutator, substantially as described.

50 5. The combination of the polygonally-arranged magnets, the fieldpieces formed and located as described, and an armature consisting of a drum upon which are disposed, parallel to the axis, rectangular helices wound in the drum as chords, corresponding in length with the fraction of the circumference, as determined by the number of magnets forming the magnetic polygon. 6o

6. In a dynamo-electric machine, and in combination with the system of field-magnets and their pole-pieces, an armature upon which are arranged rectangular helices united on the end of a drum through a long chord, to form double helices, and commutator-segments corresponding in number with the helices, substantially as described. Y

7. In a dynamo-electric machine, the combination of the system of field-magnets and 7c their pole-pieces, an armature upon which are arranged rectangular helices united to form double helices, commutator-segments correspondingin number with the helices on the armature, and collecting-brushes corresponding in number with the magnets in the inductor, substantially as described.

8. In adynamo electric machine, the combination, with the inducingmagnets, of the I armature composed of the drum T, disks K, 8c insulating-cylinder I, magnetic mass M, and the rectangular coils of wire formed thereon, substantially as described.

9. The combination, in a dynamo-electric machine, of an inductor having an even numher offield-poles,with an armature upon which are disposed an uneven number of helices formed from consecutive windings of a single continuous wire, helices united together in pairs to form an. uneven number. of double o helices, substantially as described.

10. The combination, in a dynamo electric machine, of an inductor having an even numberoffield-poles, with an armature upon which are disposed, parallel to the axis of rotation, 9 5 an uneven number of helices formed from consecutive windings of a continuous wire whose ends pass over the ends of the drum as chords, corresponding in length with the fraction of the circumference as determined by the num- [00 her of magnets forming the inductor.

Signed by me this 22d day of October, A.

RENE THURY. 

